You have to love it when betting odds on NHL hockey are this busy. Like they do every year, the league has scheduled an absolutely stacked slate the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving Day. Twenty-four teams are in action across 12 games, a docket that features a collection of high-stakes matchups that could impact bets on NHL futures.
The primary focus of our Wednesday night NHL betting picks will be on who wins the battle of New York between the Rangers and Islanders. We will, of course, make other NHL picks, too.
Let's start by looking at all the latest NHL betting odds, courtesy of BetOnline:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | -195 | +175 | Montreal Canadiens |
| Winnipeg Jets | -124 | -112 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Boston Bruins | -225 | +201 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -199 | +179 | Vancouver Canucks |
| Minnesota Wild | -122 | +111 | New Jersey Devils |
| St. Louis Blues | -131 | +119 | Detroit Red Wings |
| New York Rangers | -118 | +107 | New York Islanders |
| Nashville Predators | -117 | +106 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Colorado Avalanche | -222 | +199 | Anaheim Ducks |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -156 | +141 | Los Angeles Kings |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -141 | +128 | Seattle Kraken |
| San Jose Sharks | -171 | +154 | Ottawa Senators |
If you're using an odds provider other than BetOnline from our reviews of the top online sportsbooks, you'll want to double-check these NHL odds before settling on any NHL picks. All lines are subject to shift right up until the opening face-off.
NHL's Battle for New York is Underway
Wednesday night marks the first meeting between the Rangers and Islanders on the season. Though both are at different points in their team-building process, they each entered the 2021-22 campaign with NHL playoff hopes.
And while there will be three other battles between these squads before the regular season ends, you just know either side wants the inaugural showdown badly. That's how cross-town rivalries work.
So, who's going to win: The Rangers or Islanders? We've got the answer, along with a list of our other best NHL bets for Wednesday night.
Rangers Hold Off Cross-Town-Rival Islanders
It is important not to remain married to preseason expectations when it turns out they don't come to fruition. In other words: It's probably time we stop taking the Islanders seriously.
Indeed, they put on one heck of a show during the 2021 NHL postseason. Their defense played at peak levels, and they flashed another shot-creation gear on offense. Entering this season, many thought they were authentic 2022 Stanley Cup contenders.
And yet, nearly one-quarter of the way through the schedule, the Islanders remain well under .500 and are averaging the second-fewest goals in the league. It's clear they don't have the juice to hang with the big boys.
Do the Rangers qualify as big boys? That's debatable. They don't have a spectacular offense themselves. They are shooting under 10 percent from the ice and rank 23rd in goals scored per game.
At the same time, the Rangers have cobbled together an admirable defense, whereas the Islanders' talent both on the wings and between the posts has fallen off a cliff. This battle of New York should belong to the Rangers.
OSB Prediction: New York Rangers (-118)
San Jose Chops Down Ottawa
Anyone who continues to sleep on the San Jose Sharks may want to finally wake up.
Look, we get the offensive concerns. They're shooting under 10 percent from the ice and scoring on fewer than 19 percent of their power play opportunities—two of the worst marks in the league.
Still, the Sharks' defense is legit. Their goalies have combined for a 90.8 save percentage, and scant few teams are better at both killing penalties while limiting their own infractions.
Beating the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday shouldn't be a problem.
OSB Prediction: San Jose Sharks (-171)
Can Anaheim Upset Colorado?
Many are starting to worry about the Anaheim Ducks. We understand the trepidation. They weren't supposed to be good and then jumped out to the NHL's hottest start. Now that they're struggling to pick up wins, it makes sense that most want to steer clear of them—particularly against a veteran team like the Colorado Avalanche.
However, we're not yet ready to give up on the Ducks. They still rank in the top 10 of both goals scored and goals allowed, do a nice job of killing their penalties and place second in the percentage of power plays on which they score.
Maybe the Avalanche have more momentum. They definitely have a higher-powered offense. But we like the value of these upset odds for Anaheim.
OSB Prediction: Anaheim Ducks (+199)
Carolina Skates Past Seattle with Ease
While the Seattle Kraken have delivered some admirable performances relative to their status as an expansion team, we cannot bring ourselves to pick against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Not only does the latter have an incredible record as the favorite, but they rank as the NHL's second-best team when weighting their point differential with their strength of schedule.
To be honest, we could see this game ending in a shutout in Carolina's favor.
OSB Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes (-141)
Washington Steals a Win from Montreal
Not enough people are talking about the Washington Capitals. They have navigated some key absences and played out a difficult schedule yet still brandish one of the league's absolute best defenses.
Only three teams are allowing fewer goals per game, and just one squad (Calgary Flames) has been on the winning end of more shutouts.
We do have some issues with the Capitals' offense, especially their inability to capitalize on power-play opportunities. But the Montreal Canadiens don't have a dangerous enough offense of their own for us to pick against Washington—a team that, quite frankly, maybe a sleeper Stanley Cup threat.
OSB Prediction: Washington Capitals (-195)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NHL betting:
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